Chris KL9A is back—and so is the Contest Crew. After a short break for Dayton, the full squad—Bill W9KKN, Dan N6MJ, Randy K5ZD, and the man of the hour, Chris KL9A—returns with jabs, laughs, and real-world tips. This episode digs into Chris’s thrilling victory from Madeira Island (CQ9A) in the Single Op High Power category at CQ WPX CW 2025, with details that go beyond the scoreboard. We also touch on the CQ9A station support from Valery Zhytkovich EW6W, Chris’s powerful and personal keynote at the Dayton Contest Dinner, reactions from Hamvention weekend, and the debut of Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio, which launched to a packed booth and great reception in Dayton.Join the conversation in the comments and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio for more episodes like this one.

Bdale Garbee KB0G is the President of Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), the private foundation quietly reshaping the future of ham radio. With deep roots in the early internet and the historic allocation of 44Net, ARDC today manages a $100M+ endowment, granting millions each year to fund innovation, education, and community growth. In this conversation, Bdale traces the remarkable journey from ham radio’s early experiments with packet radio and TCP/IP, through the unexpected windfall of 44Net’s value, to the creation of a professional, forward-looking foundation now driving some of the most ambitious projects in amateur radio. He offers an inside look at how ARDC evaluates grants, what defines success, and why the foundation’s long-term vision matters for anyone who cares about the future of communication, experimentation, and connection.

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